Japan Says US Serviceman Killed Woman, Then Self in Okinawa

Japan's Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Takeo Akiba telephoned U.S. Ambassador William Hagerty, asking for cooperation with the investigation and efforts to prevent a recurrence

Published April 13, 2019•Updated on April 13, 2019 at 9:02 am

How Hwee Young/AP

A U.S. serviceman has fatally stabbed a Japanese woman and then killed himself in Okinawa, according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry, amid growing resentment about the presence of American troops in Japan's southwestern region.

U.S. Forces Japan says the Naval Criminal Investigative Service is working with local police to look into the deaths Saturday of a U.S. Navy sailor assigned to a Marine unit and an Okinawa resident.

It says in a statement: "This is an absolute tragedy and we are fully committed to supporting the investigation." It says more information will be released later.

Japan's Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Takeo Akiba telephoned U.S. Ambassador William Hagerty, asking for cooperation with the investigation and efforts to prevent a recurrence, and expressed "extreme regrets," according to the foreign ministry.